frisbie



Dec. 11 1923.

W. J. FRISBIE SPARK PRODUCING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22. 1923 Patented Dec. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. FRISBIE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JUSTRI'IE MANUFACTUR- ING- GOMPAINY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SPARK-PRODUCING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 22, 1923. Serial No. 614,057.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. FRISBIE,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State 'I of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Produc ing Mechanism of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spark producing 1 mechanism for producing sparks for igniting gas issuing from an orifice and is particularly adaptable and useful in connection with miners acetylene lamps.

The invention relates to that type of spark 15 reducing mechanisms disclosed in my atent No. 1,429,420 of September 19, 19-22, in which type of mechanism a friction wheel and pyrophoric material are provided together with an actuating lever which may be rotated in one direction independently of the wheel and connected therewith by pawl and ratchet mechanism when returned by spring action to its initial position. The important object of my invention is to provide improved pawl and ratchet mechanism which will operate with greater certainty and precision.

My improved constructionand arrangement are clearly illustrated on the accom- 30 panying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the miners lamp showing the spark producing attachment applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the spark producing mechanism with parts broken away and showing the lever swung preparatory to its release to produce sparks, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on plane Fig. 2.

I have shown my invention applied to an acetylene lamp of the well known type comprising the generator structure 9 the gas outlet tip t and the circular reflector r supported from the lamp concentric with the tip. The spark producing mechanism comprises a base 5 having an exteriorly threaded barrel 6 depending therefrom and having the longitudinal bore 7 for receiving the compression spring 8, the spring being compressed between the cap 9 threaded to the barrel and the cylinder 10 of pyrophoric material slidable in the barrel. Extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base are the parallel opposed walls 11 and 12 having the openings 13 and 14c for receiving the tubular pivot pin 15. Surrounding the pin between the walls is a bushing 16, and encircling this bushing is the coil spring 17. The spring is surrounded at one end by the bearing flange 18' extending from the hub 18 of the lever 19, and surrounding the other end of the spring is the bushing 20, the bushing and the flange extending into the bore of the friction wheel 21 and forming a seat therefor. The friction wheel is supported over the upper end of the barrel bore 7 and the pyrophoric cylinder 10 is pressed by the spring 8 against the periphery of the wheel which has the friction teeth or serrations 22'.

On one side the friction wheel has the ratchet extension 23 provided with the ratchet teeth 2a and this extension may be an integral part of the wheel or a separate part secured thereto. The hub 18 has the peripheral flange 25 and the bushing 20 has the flange 26 engaging respectively against the side of the friction wheel and its ratchet extension 23 and holding the wheel centered in the supporting frame in line with the pyrophoric material 10.

The actuating lever structure 19 with its hub 18' may be formed integral of sheet metal. A longitudinal slot 27 extends along the lever arm and its hub and receives one terminal 28 of the spring 17 whose end e is deflected around the outer edge of the lever. The other terminal 29 of the spring extends through the slot 30 provided in the flange 26 of bushing 20 and its end 6 books around the wall 12 of the supporting framework, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The spring is arranged to resist swing of the lever structure in counter clockwise direction, and

to effect rapid return swings of the lever in clockwise direction when released after a counter clockwise rotation.

The lever at its upper side is deflected forwardly and downwardly to form a smooth finger engaging back '31 and a wall 32 parallel with the lever proper to form a channel C. At its outer end the lever walls may be expanded to form a more extended finger engaging convex surface 33. Secured at its outer end on top of the lever back by a rivet or other means 34 is the pawl spring 35 which near its front end is offset laterally as indicated at 36 to bring the pawl end or point 37 in the plane of the ratchet extension '23 so that the point may cooperate with the ratchet teeth 24. When the lever structure is rotated in counter clockwise direction the pawl point will slide idly over the backs of the. ratchet teeth as the friction wheel is locked by the frictional engagement of the pyrophoricmaterial against its serrated periphery. Howeverwhen the lever structure is released after a counterclockwise swing thereof the force of the spring 1'? will overcome this frictional engagement and will swingthe lever back, the pawl point during such backward swing engaging against the front face of one of the ratchet teeth so that the friction wheel is rapidly carried with the lever and with its serrated periphery wiped across the end of the pyrophoric material to cause a stream of sparks to be shot outwardly for igniting gas. In the arrangement shown the sparking apparatus is mounted on the reflector r of the lamp with the friction wheel in the radial plane which includes the outlet orifice of the tip 6. The refiector has the opening 38 through which the barrel 6 extends, the base 5 of the'supporting framework engaging against the inner face of the reflector and the nut 39which is threaded on the barrel is turned up against the outer surface of the reflector, the sparking attachnient being in 7 this manner rigidly secured to the reflector in proper position. With the construction shown. when the lever structure is swung inwardly toward the tip the end of the channel 0 receives the tip outlet so that the issuing gas flows through the channel toward the wheel to be subjected to the sparks produced when the lever structure is released and is rapidly swung back to normal position. During such normal position theback of the lever structure rests against the periphery of the reflector.

My improved pawl and ratchet arrangement permits me to provide comparatively wide teeth with ample engaging surface for the pawl spring which can also be made of ample proportions and therefore great strength. The pawl and ratchet mechanism will therefore efficiently operate the spark producing mechanism which as a whole is small and compact. The spring 17 besides controlling the operation of the lever structure, forms a yielding elastic bearing bushing for the wheel structure which will prevent sticking of the wheel against the pyrophoric material and will permit the spring to more readily and rapidly swing back the lever structure for an eflicient sparking operation. a

I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described as modifications can be made which would still come within the scope of the appended claims.

' I claim as follows:

1. In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame, a pivot member on said frame. a friction wheel within said frame concentric with said pivot member, said frame having a passageway below said wheel,pyrophorie material in said passageway} means tending to hold said pyrophoric material in the path of the wheel periphery. a lever tulerumed at one end on said pivot member at one side of said wheel and extending out 'ardly. ratchet teeth on the opposite side of said wheel. a pawl spring secured at its outer end on the lever with its inner end in engagement with said ratchet teeth, and a spring interposed between said lever and frame tending to resist swing of said frame in one direction and to swing it when released in the opposite direction, said pawl and ratchet teeth cooperating to rotate said wheel against the friction material when the lever is swung after release whereby gas igniting sparks are produced.

2. In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame. a pivot pin supported by said frame, a friction wheel rotatable within said frame on said pin and having a serrated periphery.

said frame having a passageway below said wheel, pyrophoric material within said pas-- sageway and means for holding it in the path of the wheel periphery, a lever tulcrumed in said frame on said pin at one side of said wheel and extending outwardly. ratchet teeth on the opposite side of said wheel, a pawl spring secured at its outer end on said lever at the outer end thereof and extending inwardly with its inner end in cooperation with the ratchet teeth. and an actuating spring interposed between said lever and frame tending to resist positive swing of said lever in one direction and to return it in the opposite direction when released, the friction of said. pyrophoric material against said wheel preventing rotation thereof when said lever is positively swung and said pawl spring passing idly over the ratchet teeth during positive swing of the lever, said pawl spring when released cooperating with the teeth to rotate said wheel when said lever is returned by the actuating spring after release thereof, rotation o t the wheel against the pyrophorie material producing gas igniting sparks.

3. In spark producing mecl anism of the class described, the combination of :1- frame. a pivot pin extending through said frame. a friction wheel journaled in said frame on said pin, said frame having a passageway. pyrophoric material in said passageway below said wheel and means for holding s-uid pyrophoric material in the path of the fric tion wheel periphery, a lever fulcrumed in said frame on said pin at one side of said wheel, ratchet teeth on the other side of said wheel, a pawl spring secured at its outer end ltltl lltl on top of said lever near the outer end thereof and having its inner end in engagement with the ratchet teeth, and an actuating spring between said lever and frame tend.- ing to resist positive swing of said lever in one direction and to return it in the opposite direction after release thereof, the friction between the pyrophoric material and said wheel preventing rotation of said wheel when said lever is positively swung and said pawl spring passing idly over the ratchet teeth during such positive swing of the ratchet lever, said pawl spring engaging with a ratchet tooth when the lever is released and swung back by the actuating spring whereby said wheel is turned against the pyrophoric material and gas igniting sparks produced.

4. In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a pivot pin in said frame, a friction wheel journaled within said frame on said pin and having a serrated periphery, said frame having a passageway below said wheel, pyrophoric material within said passageway and means for holding it in the path of the wheel periphery, a lever fulcrumed at its inner end in said frame on said pin at one side of said wheel, ratchet teeth on the opposite side of said wheel, a pawl spring on the top of said lever secured at its outer end to the lever near the outer end thereof, said pawl spring being deflected laterally at its front end into the plane of the ratchet teeth and downwardly with its point against the teeth, and an actuating spring connected between said lever and frame tending to resist positive swing of said lever in one direction and to return it after release, the frictional engagement between said pyrophoric material and wheel preventing rotation of said wheel during positive swing of the lever and the pawl spring passing idly over the teeth during such positive swing of the lever, said pawl spring engaging with a tooth during return movement of the lever by the actuating spring to thereby rotate the wheel against the pyrophoric material to produce sparks.

5. In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a sup porting frame, a friction wheel journaled in said frame having a serrated periphery, pyrophoric material supported on said frame below said wheel, means for holding said pyrophoric material in the path of the serrated wheel periphery, a lever fulcrumed in said frame adjacent said wheel, ratchet teeth on one side of the wheel, a pawl member secured at its outer end on said lever outside of said frame and having its inner end in engagement with the ratchet teeth, an actuating spring connecting between said lever and frame and tending to resist positive swing of said lever in one direction and to return it when released after such positive swing, the friction of the pyrophoric material against said wheel preventing rotation thereof when the lever is positively swung and the pawl member passing idly over the teeth during such positive swing of the lever, said pawl member positively engaging with a ratchet tooth when the lever is released and returned by the actuating spring whereby the wheel will be rotated and gas igniting sparks produced.

6. In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame, a pivot pin extending through said frame, a coiled spring surrounding said spring, a friction wheel surrounding said spring concentric therewith, a lever journaled in said frame adjacent said wheel, said spring be ing connected at one end with said lever and its other end to said frame, ratchet teeth on oneside of said wheel, a ratchet pawl secured at its outer end on said lever outside of said frame and with its inner end in engagement with said ratchet teeth, pyrophoric material. and means for holding it in the path of the wheel periphery, said pawl passing along said ratchet teeth without rotating it when the lever is swung in one direction but causing rotation of said wheel when the lever is returned in the opposite direction by said spring, rotation of said wheel relative to said pyrophoric material causing the production of igniting sparks.

In spark producing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a frame,

a pivot pin on said frame, a coiled spring surrounding said pin, a. friction wheel surrounding said spring and having a serrated periphery, pyrophoric material and means for holding it in the path of said wheel periphery, a lever journaled at one end of said frame at one side of said wheel and extending outwardly, one end of said spring connecting with said lever and the other end with said frame and said spring tending to resist positive'swing of said lever in one direction and to return it when released, ratchet teeth on the opposite side of said wheel, a pawl member secured at its outer end on said lever outside of said frame and having its inner end engaging with said ratchet teeth, the friction between the pyrophoric material and said wheel preventing rotation thereof when the lever is positively swung and said pawl member passing idly over the ratchet teeth during such positive swing of the lever, said pawl member positively engaging with a ratchet tooth during return swing of said lever by said spring whereby said wheel will be rotated and ignition sparks produced.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of January A. D.,

WILLIAM J. FRISBIE. 

